Fabiana's fabulous Olympics

5 Aug 2015

The 2016 Rio Olympics are set to start in exactly one year today. Naturally we’re one step ahead and got 2011 world pole vault champion Fabiana Murer to share her local knowledge with us. Here are five reasons why the XXXI Modern Olympiad will be a smashing success.

1. Weather

Brazil should live up to its reputation for blue skies and glorious sunshine when the games come to South America for the first time in August 2016, according to Murer.

“The weather conditions will be perfect,” tells us the 2014 Diamond League winner. “It will be coming towards the end of the winter, but Brazil doesn’t really have a winter so the temperature will be around 24C or 25C (75–77F). It is also much less humid at that time of year with less chance of rain. It will be great conditions to compete in. No problem.”

2. Stadium

The Joao Havalange Stadium – also known as the ‘Engenhao’ – will stage the athletics events at the 2016 Games and Murer believes the 60,000 capacity stadium will prove a real hit.

“The stadium is nice with a good atmosphere,” says Murer, who has happy memories of competing there. She landed gold at the Engenhao at the 2007 Pan American Games and set a then PB of 4.82m (and still her joint third best ever vault) competing there at the 2009 Brazilian Championships.

BOLT APPROVED: The big man himself has alread had a little runabout on Rio's famous Copacabana beach

3. Beaches

Few Olympic Games offer a more attractive prospect of slapping on the factor 30 and heading down to the beach as Rio. The athletes may be holed up in the Olympic Village, but spectators might find the thought of spending a few hours between athletics sessions on the iconic Copacabana and Ipanema beaches appealing. Murer agrees, but picks out Barra beach in the west zone of the city as her personal favourite.

“It is a calmer more surfy beach – a little further out from the centre of Rio,” adds Murer. “I prefer this beach.”

4. Ability to stage big events

After Brazil successfully hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup Murer believes Rio – which staged the final at the Maracana Stadium - can only benefit from the experience.

“It was a huge event that people supported,” adds Murer of the event commonly regarded as the second biggest sporting event on the planet behind the Olympic Games. “It was successful and I think Brazil will have learned from this and will be much better prepared for the Olympics.”

Listen to her tips, this girl knows a thing or two about Rio...

5. Party people

The Brazilians know how to party and their pole vaulting heroine Fabiana Murer believes Olympic tourists should embrace the best Rio offers. From experiencing the samba beats to trying foot volley (a Brazilian created game which combines football and volleyball) there will be plenty for visitors to experience says Murer.

“All tourists should try out a churrascaria restaurant which serves Brazilian grilled meat,” she insists.